“No.”
“So what? Why should you feel bad? He loves someone else, accept it.”
His blunt declaration punched me right in the gut. I looked down at my knees, while my straight hair lined my face like tears.
“White, I didn’t want—”
“No, you’re right.” I cleared my throat. “It’s the feeling of failure that I can’t stand, and it’s not because of Will. It’s—”
“You’ll get over it,” declared James.
“Yeah, but at what cost?”
“What do you mean?” He looked confused.
“Forget it.”
I got out of the car, and he did the same.
“White.”
“Eh.”
“You don’t need anyone, do you? You’re strong, aren’t you?” he asked while I walked around the car.
I gazed at him attentively. “Yeah, I think so. Do you want it back?”
I pointed at the porch swing where I’d found the teddy bear the night before.
“Huh?”
Obviously he was playing dumb.
“Come on, you know.”
“What?” James hinted at a smile.
Now I was going to punch him.
“I’ll let you have it for another night, White. I think you need it now.” A small smile crossed my lips. Why did he treat me so badly in front of everyone else but could also be so sweet?
He turned to walk away, then suddenly turned back to me.
“Look, I wanted ask you something.”
His dark, gruff voice sounded strangely serious, startling me.
“What?”
With his hands in his pockets, he bore his midnight-blue eyes into mine.
“Do you have some sort of problem?”
“How dare you?” I exclaimed.
“I mean with sleep.”
I tensed up. “What the hell are you talking about, James?”
